1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers which blend fluent materials stored in separate chambers when dispensing these materials. More particularly, the invention sets forth a container which has plural separate fluid compartments and a resiliently flexible wall for enabling a user to discharge the contents of both compartments by squeezing the container. The novel dispensing container finds application wherever fluid materials must be blended and dispensed in quantities appropriate for individual consumers. For example, the container may be utilized by consumers to store and dispense personal care products such as shampoo and hair conditioner, cooking products such as sweeteners and colorants, and food products such as oil and vinegar for preparing salad dressings, among others. Alternatively, the container may be utilized in industrial, commercial, institutional, medical, and scientific applications to blend active ingredients with carrier fluids, or to blend ingredients which would interact on contact with one another. The fields which may benefit from the invention are many and diverse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary from time to time to dispense several dissimilar fluent substances which must be separated from one another prior to being utilized, yet blended when utilized. Two substances separately stored usually require special measures to assure that they be fully blended or mixed together. Dispensing of two separate substances is somewhat time consuming. Furthermore, metering and dispensing, if performed separately, may expose one or both substances to contact with the air, airborne contaminants, light, or other detrimental influences.
Another aspect of containers, especially of containers having plural compartments or fluid storing vessels, is that in many cases, it is not feasible to coordinate depletion of separate fluids as both are discharged. That is, it is frequently the case that one fluid is depleted while a usable quantity of another fluid yet remains. To this end, it would be desirable to provide a container which accommodates connection of a separable vessel containing one of the fluids, for renewing one of the fluids.
It is convenient and effective to store, blend, and dispense several substances from a single container in a manner assuring that plural contents be separated until the point in time at which they are used. The prior art has proposed containers which dispense plural contents. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,346, issued to James E. Richardson et al. on Nov. 26, 1974. The subject dispenser of Richardson et al. is hand squeezed to dispense fluids. Richardson et al. sets forth a valve to control discharge of fluids. However, this valve is not similar to the check valve of the present invention. Also, there is no closed mixing chamber with agitating balls, as seen in the present invention. There is no teaching in Richardson et al. of in situ recharging an internal vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,033, issued to Sen H. Chou on Dec. 18, 1990, describes a pressurized dispensing container having a bladder which receives pressurized propellant gasses. The bladder is internal to the container. By contrast, in the present invention, the container is squeezed by hand to develop propulsive pressures. The device of Chou lacks check valves and blending apparatus of the present invention. Also, there is no provision for in situ recharging of the inner vessel, as seen in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,931, issued to Richard E. Farrar et al. on Nov. 16, 1965, describes a multicompartmented dispenser. The device of Farrar et al. lacks check valves, a mixing chamber, and in situ recharging of the inner vessel, all being features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,149, issued to Karl H. Zulauf on Apr. 29, 1986, describes a hand squeezable container which incorporates a rotatable valve for adjusting relative proportions of dispensed fluids. This valve is unlike the automatically acting, unidirectional check valve of the present invention. Zulauf further lacks the mixing chamber with agitating balls and in situ recharging features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,107, issued to Gerhard Obrist on Jun. 16, 1987, shows a dosing dispenser incorporating two manual valves disposed in series. By contrast, the present invention has one or more automatically acting unidirectional check valves. Where more than one check valve is provided, they are disposed in parallel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,056, issued to Bernard Schneider et al. on Jul. 12, 1994, describes a dispensing tube which dispenses plural creamy or pasty fluids. The device of Schneider et al. lacks the mixing chamber and agitating balls, check valves, and in situ recharging of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,510, issued to Wilhelm A. Keller on Jul. 15, 1997, illustrates a metering and proportioning device having a collapsible cartridge. The device of Keller lacks the squeezable outer container, mixing chamber, check valves, and in situ recharging of the present invention.
The various devices of the prior art typically incorporate much more complex design than is seen in the present invention. By contrast, the present invention can be formed in as few as three or four pieces including a cap.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.